Wire rope slings made of a plurality of metal strands twisted together and secured by large metal sleeves or collars are common in the industry. During the past thirty years, industrial metal slings have seen improvements in flexibility and strength. However, compared to non-metal or synthetic fiber slings, metal slings are relatively stiff and inflexible.
Synthetic fiber slings have gained popularity over the last fifteen years and are replacing metal slings in many circumstances. Synthetic slings are usually comprised of a core made of twisted strands of synthetic fiber and an outer cover that protects the core from physical damage. One of the more popular designs of synthetic slings is a roundsling in which the core forms a continuous loop and the sling has a circular or oval-shaped appearance. These synthetic slings have a very high strength-to-weight ratio which provides for lighter, more flexible and even stronger slings than their heavier and bulkier metal counterparts.
As thousands of roundslings are being used on a daily basis in a broad variety of heavy load lifting applications and safety applications, the slings are subjected to harsh environmental conditions in which the slings are subjected to extreme temperature and moisture conditions. In such conditions, the synthetic slings can absorb water or other liquids, making the saturated slings much heavier for an operator to effectively lift and maneuver. In addition, saturated slings exposed to cold temperatures can freeze, thereby eliminating the flexibility of the slings.
Therefore, there exists the need to provide a synthetic sling which can be effectively used in all conditions. It would, therefore, be beneficial to provide a synthetic sling which maintains its lightweight and flexible characteristics in harsh environments in which the sling is exposed to extreme moisture conditions.